1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to flexible pipe adapters and it more particularly relates to an adapter for coupling in fluid communication a corrugated drainpipe to the end of a recreational vehicle discharge pipe.
2. Background Art.
Recreational vehicles vastly improve outdoor life. Like a small cabin on wheels, they house many convenient living accommodations, while providing the mobility that enables rapid transformation from city to country life. Fewer concerns, more time to relax and enjoy, and a welcome degree of security result are of prime importance.
Therefore, in order to maximize the enjoyment of such a vehicle, the maintenance of the on-board equipment should be minimized, during the recreational use of the vehicle. Waste disposal heads the list of work to be minimized, if possile. The recreational vehicle discharge pipe conveniently carries waste to a point outside the vehicle for disposal purposes. One or more sections of flexible extender drainpipe are attached in fluid communication to the discharge pipe to carry the waste under the force of gravity further on to a selected remotely located disposal cite. Many campgrounds even provide a compatible sewer line to simplify further the process. One simply drives the vehicle to a campground or other comfortable spot in the country, and connects the discharge pipe to whatever additional sections of flexible drainpipe are necessary.
Connecting drainpipe to conventional vehicle discharge pipe, does require considerable unwanted and undesirable effort. Consider first the conventional flexible drainpipe commonly employed. Formed from a coiled spring imbedded within a plastic casing, it offers both the strength and flexibility needed for typical camping use. The casing follows the helical outline of the coiled spring to earn it the name "corrugated pipe." Such a drainpipe usually has a diameter of approximately three inches, to provide adequate drainage for most recreational vehicle requirements. Sections of like pipe can be coupled together, end-to-end, with suitable couplers, in fluid communication, to achieve a desired length.
Consider next a typical recreational vehicle discharge pipe. Such a pipe has a short section of pipe terminating in an outlet end at the exterior of the vehicle. The end of a section of drainpipe is forceably attached to the outlet end of the drainpipe by extremely awkward manual manipulations, since the end of the discharge pipe is not constructed to receive the end of the commonly-used flexible drainpipe. In an attempt to overcome this problem, a force-fit prior known coupling adapter have been employed, but they require great skill and strength to use, and are also difficult and time consuming to assemble the adapter to the discharge pipe, and then the flexible drainpipe to the adapter. With the use of the discharge pipe directly, or with the use of the force-fit coupling in both situations, either the discharge pipe or the adapter fit closely onto the drainpipe end, the drainpipe must oftentimes be pried or pounded into place, perhaps in the rain, perhaps in darkness, but, even on a sunny day, with difficulty and often with damage to the drainpipe and to the discharge pipe. Consequently, it is desirable to have some better, easier to install adapter that can be rapidly assembled to the outlet of the discharge pipe, and then to the drainpipe, with little skill and attention.
Once connected, aggravation often continues. The resulting joint is often inadequate. For example, leakage frequently occurs, and the connection can be easily dislodged if bumped accidentally. Stress on the joint caused by drainpipe weight also produces this result. Thus, it is desirable to have a adapter that produces a better, stronger, tighter joint.
Disassembly has its problems as well. Drainpipe must be disassembled after an outing to enable cleaning and storage, and waste material remaining within the drainpipe makes it essential that this be done carefully to avoid strewing the waste about the campsite. The technique of forcing the drainpipe onto the discharge pipe, often only compounds the problem. With the use of force fit, disassembly can be awkward and difficult. Moreover, spillage can occur, when the drainpipe is pulled off the end of the discharge pipe or its adapter. Consequently, it is desirable to have an adapter that functions more predictablly in this respect, to enable controlled disassembly in a neat and clean manner.
There have been many differnt types and kinds of couplers and adapters designed for similar purposes. Refer, for example, to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,408,091; 3,471,179; 3,493,251; 3,899,198; 4,017,103; 4,133,347; 4,222,594; 4,368,904; 4,480,855; and 4,542,922. However, none of the foregoing patents disclose devices capable of adequately solving the aforementioned problems.